Foxes Mate for Life
by Wasabi-Skillz
Summary: Post-Command. This is the story of Fox and Krystal as they prepare for their life together in a new era. This is a story about moving forward. First fic. Edit: I'm continuing this story.
1. Chapter 1: Time

**Author's Note:**

Alright, not really a true Star Fox fan since I haven't played all the games. But he's my fav SMASH BRO! I wiki-ed the storyline. I liked it. Not really one for furries, but I just want my bro to be happy.

This is my first fic. Tell me what you think! Any suggestions or requests... 3 it, h8 it. All reviews welcome.

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Chapter 1: Time

It's been one week since the victory over the Anglar Empire. Once again, the galaxy was safe thanks to the Star Fox team. But the war caused much damage, and many had lost everything. The Anglar Empire had no concept of mercy. It spared no world. Their capacity for destruction was unrivaled.

Effects of the war would be felt for generations to come, changing life forever. However, the absolute devastation brought worlds together. All could sympathize with a common circumstance. This wasn't Anglars' intention.

A seed… growing in perfect conditions brought about by this very circumstance. A seed planted long ago. Amidst all the chaos, it would be _this_ seed that would lead us into a new era of long lasting peace: The seed of compassion.

_Compassion. _Compassion on a grand scale. In the destruction of worlds, the great seed of compassion grows ever quickly. The people of the Lylat system cast aside their differences and join forces in their recovery as they build a better life, with stronger roots. Right now, anything feels possible.

One must wonder… had Andross not planned for this? Was it not his true intention all along? Is it not possible that his genius had been misunderstood? That there first must be suffering in order to achieve the greater good? Had Andross enough faith in the Lylat people to overcome his abomination and unite in common struggle? That he was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice when he masked his benevolence in hatred and created evil for the sake of good? This result following Lylat's triumph had to be more than a mere fluke, right?

Bahaha, yeah right! He was just a monkey tossing around the last of his bowels. In any case… The future looks brighter already.

But peace has a habit of coming and going, and the universe is still far from perfect. It will be a while yet before the world no longer needs Team Star Fox. So they remain on standby: ready to assist those desperately seeking help, to alleviate their pain caused by the heavy burdens of this difficult time, to be the light in their darkest hour. In the meantime, they deserve a break.

So it was decided that the Star Fox team retreat from the battlefield, for now, and make the most of the time they have. _Work hard, play hard._ The future is unpredictable; who knows when the next catastrophe will strike. But for now, they have time: time to reflect… time to heal… time to grow… time to love and to be loved... time to move forward.


	2. Chapter 2: Second Chances

Chapter 2: Second Chances

The Great Fox II floats through space in silence. Team Star Fox catches up on some much needed rest. The war is over and the heroes sleep peacefully. They dream… about the past, the future, desires, and fears. However, a certain fox stirs more violently than the rest. There is no sense of tranquility in his resting quarters as he dreams…

"Fox… I'm sorry. I can't. I won't. What you did was unforgivable. How could you abandon me like that? I... no, never mind. It's safe to say… what happened between us… it wasn't meant to be. Goodbye, Fox." Her words echo through his head as they set an unpleasantly familiar scene. He's in the desert again. The only thing besides Fox and a lifetime of endless sand in this barren wasteland … is her. 'She's leaving… go after her!' he thinks. Fox must find a way to get her back_. _His happiness depends on it. This is the same dream he'd been having for several weeks now. The outcome ends badly each time. Some would think him a fool to keep trying. But it was… _her. _There was still hope, _still time_. He must find her and explain everything, so that he might convince her to stay. But it's not going to be easy. There's the twist: for every blink, she seems to get further away and his vision a bit dimmer than before. However this time, his eyes sting more than usual, making everything more blurry. If this weren't difficult enough as it was. He makes out a blue figure from afar; that is his goal. Will he get to her this time? _Run like hell, Fox. _He darts towards the murky blueness in the distance, but with each blink, the figure grows smaller and the scene a bit darker. 'She's so far away this time.' He starts to stumble as he runs clumsily through the unsteady desert sands. No longer able to keep himself from blinking, he bats his eyes repeatedly, lashes brushing away the particles of sand that cling to his eyes. He loses her diminishing figure in the distance as he blinks away his last hope. He can no longer see the faint dot of blue, or anything else for that matter. The last of his sight fades to black and he abandons the impossible chase. _'She's not coming back.'_

"Krystal…"

Fox McCloud whispers her name upon his wake. He looks at the clock on dresser to the right; it reads 3:29 A.M. He folds his arms behind him and rests his head in his hands. As he stares at the ceiling of his empty room, Fox recalls the past; his relationship with Krystal, from beginning to end. It started on Sauria, where he'd first met her. In the beginning, he labeled it as _attraction_. When she joined the team, Fox liked to steal glances every chance he got, though he hoped she'd never catch him. The way he looked at her was the visual equivalent of inhaling her scent. She was beautiful, it made sense. Time passed and their friendship was grown. This time, _it's just a crush_, he thought. _A crush_; that was the new label. But soon, he'd started to see her in his thoughts more and more: her invaluable contributions to the team, the way she spoke, her natural concern for others, how she felt as she brushed past his tail.

This _crush_ developed into something more. Shortly after the Aparoid invasion, Fox had finally come to terms with his feelings towards is companion. it was then that he realized… what he felt was more than just infatuation. It was love. Fox loved Krystal. He loved her and was going to tell her even with the chance that she hadn't felt the same. He would do it, he would tell her… eventually. But conversation… finding the right words… all of it became so difficult around Krystal. Fox considered the possible outcomes of the situation; how the truth could change everything. His confession could have a negative impact on the team dynamic, most definitely if she had not cared for him in the same way. Fox had second thoughts. He decided that it might be best to give up. But Krystal could not.

From the day she'd met him, Krystal felt her attraction to Fox McCloud. As she spent time with him on Star Fox, attraction soon developed into love. But was the feeling mutual? Krystal could sense that he felt something for her. Still, she could never be sure. Whenever they were together, it became was too difficult to keep track of his thoughts when they raced about like that. But she had to try; she'll take a leap of faith. No matter the outcome, it would be worth the shot, because she couldn't hold it in anymore. She loved him more than anything… and that's what she told him. _It's_ _funny how things work out_. Her love was returned.

On that day, the two foxes made a promise to remain together, always. Everything happened so quickly. Before they knew it, a year passed. It was a year of happiness, full of new feelings, experiences, and surprises. But trouble eventually made its way to paradise. The upcoming war was unavoidable and Fox was faced with a difficult decision regarding Krystal. She was a great pilot and a telepath. Without a doubt, her skills made her an invaluable member of the team. However, there was the fear of losing her. Star Fox would have to go into battle and there was no promise of coming back. Would he go through with that risk? Her safety mattered above all else. The decision was already made for him.

With a heavy heart, Fox McCloud removed Krystal from Team Star Fox. It was for her safety; for his safety. She was his life now. Everything he did, he did it for her despite her protests. However, in relieving her of her duties on Star Fox, he broke his promise. 'Always' was a lot shorter than they'd hoped. She left him when he left her. He'd broken her heart and she'd done the same. At least she was safe, he thought. He wouldn't see her again for weeks.

A miserable reunion revealed that Krystal had joined Star Wolf. How frustrating! He thought by having her leave Star Fox, she'd be safe. Instead, she put herself in more danger and fought against him. It was irony at its worst. As the war came to a close, Fox tried desperately to have Krystal join Star Fox one more. Despite his attempts, she refused. Was it truly over? A few days later, his teammates decided to have a word with her despite his protesting. He didn't want them fighting his battles. 'It's not always about you, Fox.' He couldn't argue with that. He hoped Falco and Slippy could find a way to reach her.

To his surprise, she came back. He didn't know what they'd said, but Fox figured it was probably something to do with Slippy's incompetence as a pilot. He laughed at the thought. 'Oh Slippy, you're a great mechanic, but you're shit with wings.'

Fox had only spoken to Krystal once since her arrival. "Welcome back to Star Fox," he says in a professional manner. She didn't know what to make of his greeting. Was she just part of the team now?

"Thanks. It's hard to say 'no' to Slippy," she tries her best to make it sound like it's not about him. Fox's ears lower at her reply.

"That's good. I'll see ya around," he manages to say, weakly.

Krystal's presence on the team puts him at ease. At least he can keep an eye on her. Still, things are far from being okay. She'd been on the team for three days now and continues to give him the cold shoulder every time his eyes wander in her direction. Interestingly enough, for every stolen glance, there's the occasional moment where their eyes would meet. That was it. That was all he needed. He knows now: It's not over. There was still hope. Fox falls back asleep at the thought, while the other lay awake.

'Fox, I know there's still a chance… for both of us. But I can't just come running back to you. No, not yet. I need to know… I need to know that you meant everything you said. I need to know that you won't make the same mistake again.'

_Don't screw this up, Foxie._

_

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*******_ Bro! That really bites!

BTW H8 Slippy4ever. _  
_


	3. Chapter 3: Say Something!

Chapter 3: Say Something!

It's a quiet evening aboard the Great Fox II. Today, especially since Falco had gone on a business trip assigned by General Hare. Slippy was wrapping up with final adjustments. He'd been slaving away all day repairing the Arwings. They'd taken quite a beating from the Anglars.

Krystal sighs. She'd been thinking about what Falco said to her earlier that day before he'd gone off on business.

_Earlier, in the docking bay…_

"Falco, I got your message. You had something to say before you left?" Krystal spotted Falco prepping his Arwing for departure.

"Yeah… yeah, I did. Listen: Okay first of all, I'm glad you're back. We all missed ya, some more than others. And second: Thank the Big Bird you _are _back. You know, it's not easy for Fox and me to fight the bad guys with just…" Falco paused. He didn't want to say anything offensive but…

"What about Slippy?" She read his thoughts. 'Whoops,' Krystal thought. She knew what he'd been implying. Slippy wasn't the best fighter pilot. In fact, he could get a bit distracting with all the help he needed. If there was a Star Wolf counterpart for Slippy, they'd be finished.

"Yeah!... What _about_ Slippy?" the green frog interrupted, making his presence known.

"Oh, no, it's nothing! It's just not the same without you!" Falco said smiling while scratching the back of his head. "And third, listen closely on this one. I know you feel a bit uncomfortable coming from Star Wolf n' all, but don't you worry. Whatever happened, it's no big deal. We're all friends here, okay?" Falco placed his hand on her shoulder and Krystal nodded.

"But there's one more thing, Krystal," Slippy continued for Falco with a serious expression. "When Falco and I asked you back on the team, yes, it _was_ because we needed you. But also, we did it for Fox. He didn't ask us to, in fact, he didn't want us to bother you. Since you left, he's become like some injured animal isolating itself from the rest of the world, waiting to die. I'm not being dramatic this time." Slippy did tend to blow things out of proportion sometimes, but he spoke the truth about this one. He resumed repairing the Arwing.

"Hey, you know me. I'm not much for feelings stuff like that, but it's hard to see a friend pretend like it's all good when he feels like crap…" Falco resumed before hopping into his Arwing.

"If Fox has something to say to me, he can say it himself. And _maybe_ I'll listen," the Cerinian was a bit irritated. She felt cornered.

Looking down from his cockpit, Falco asserted "Look, all I'm saying is… the next time Fox comes running back to you with an apology, don't push him away. Talk to each other. We know you can work things out." With those last words, Falco jetted off to Corneria.

_End flashback_

Krystal's mind returns to the present. She sits alone in the kitchen playing with the gruel in her bowl. She shapes a frowning face with her fork. Memories of Fox cross her mind. She remembers their first kiss. They'd been having a pretend argument. Fox said he was going to test the transporter on her to see what would happen. Krystal flung some space meal at his face. Her target dodged quickly and flung some back. This turned into a short food fight. In the end, they'd both missed pretty badly, but there was a bit of it on Fox's face. Krystal walks up to him pausing for a moment, before licking the remnants of their meal off the side of his muzzle. She stares back at Fox. His expression is priceless. He feels her breath on his face. They are so close. His arms wrap around her waist as he pulls her closer. Their lips meet for the first time. Fox kisses her deeply. After each long kiss, she plants a smaller, gentler one upon his lips, like a signature.

"What's for dinner?" Fox's question interrupts her thoughts. 'When did he get here?' she thought.

"Your concentration on that plate seemed pretty intense. Is it _that_ difficult to stomach?" She smirks at his comment.

"Anyway, what's for dinner?" She points at the large bowl on the counter.

"Space slop again, huh?" Fox grabs a bowl for himself and grabs the seat across from Krystal. He fidgets through his food and smiles, "This brings back memories."

He looks up at Krystal and sees the newly formed frown on her face. Maybe it's best not to talk. For a while, they sit together in uncomfortably. Fox tries to say something, but stops when hears her voice.

"I never noticed how quiet it was without those two," Krystal chuckled.

"Yeah, hah, it has been, especially since Slippy's not around so much these days."

"What's he been up to?"

"I think he found himself a girl."

"Really, what's her name?" Krystal has noticed a change in Slippy. He seems a bit more 'grown-up' than she remembered.

"Um, I'm not sure, but it starts with an A… Am-A. Amy or something. I'll remember tomorrow."

"That's nice. I'm glad he found someone."

"…yeah." Fox seems disappointed.

"Is there something wrong with that, Fox?" she asks with concern.

"No, it's just that he mentioned that he's gonna leave Star Fox soon. We'll miss his company. But that also means I'd have to find a new mechanic, or become a gear-head myself. And I think that Falco might be leaving. Katt offered him a position on her team a while ago and I think he's finally thinking about taking her up on her offer. When that happens, I'll probably just disband Star Fox. Things are getting better anyway." Krystal feels bad. 'Everyone else is moving on to other things. What does he have left? No, if it comes to that, he'll have me; always has, always will.'

"But what about you? How was your time on Star Wolf?"

"Hah, well… it's definitely more pleasant here. They're certainly a rowdy bunch." Fox's expression turns grim at the thought of Krystal and Panther getting 'physical.'

"I'll ignore that…" she notes. She was reading his mind.

"Whoops… uh…s-sorry!" he frowns thoroughly disappointed in himself. 'Control your thoughts, Fox!'

'He's so cute.' "It's okay," she continued, "There was this one moment with Wolf." Her words made Fox gasp, "…again, ignoring that. Well, I heard noises coming from his room and went to see what all the commotion was about. His door was slightly open, and I saw it. He was having sex with this she-wolf! I was so embarrassed! After he'd seen me, he started to chase after me for spying on him. But that's not the worst of it! He got up to chase me out while they were still knotted together!"

*This comment needs clarification: During the copulation of many canine species, including wolves and foxes, the tip of the male genitals become engorged with blood which traps the male inside the female until the end of its swelling. Basically, the male is stuck inside the female for about twenty minutes after the deed is done.*

Krystal continues, "All around the ship, he's running after me with his partner dangling from his you know what. So he's running and she's just about flying through the air, limbs flailing about. Her leg hooks on to Leon's neck! Then he's dragging the both of them! He gave up eventually. No one was really hurt. Except Wolf did feel a bit sore for the rest of the week." Fox and Krystal laugh hysterically.

They continue to catch up for the next 3 hours before heading for bed. Krystal heads back to the kitchen. She'd forgotten a bracelet she'd been playing with before her moment with Fox. The bracelet was from Panther. Though she didn't care for him in that way, it was pretty and suited her. It was a slim bangle of a reddish-brown color. The engraving in black said, "Crystal," followed by a heart. It was cheesy and her name was spelled wrong. Either way, she liked it. She even pecked Panther on the lips for that one. The color reminded her of Fox.

'Fox,' she thinks. As she makes her way to her room, she notices Fox's door was slightly open. She sees him playing with something small and shiny in his hands. She wasn't quite sure what it was. His fingers cover the small object. He stops and puts the object down on his dresser.

"Krystal, is that you?" He senses her presence.

"Oh, y-yeah. Can I come in?" She'd been caught snooping around.

"Sure, have a seat." Fox points to an empty spot on the side of his bed.

'We had a moment back there, didn't we?' The idea of friendship sounds nice, but Krystal knew she would always want more. Friends…? It was worth a shot. At least it gets them somewhere.

"Fox… it was nice being able to talk to you like that today. I know it's been a little rough since our 'disagreement,' but I'm glad after everything we've been through, we can still be frie—"

"No."

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***That's right Slippy! Eat it. You _are_ pathetic. You will pay for your pathetic VOICE!

OOh. and Y s0 srs, Fox? Do you have something to say? Maybe? Oh good, well I hope you say it.

Pardon my weirdness, but this whole editing thing is confusing. Don't really know what to say in these author's notes.


	4. Chapter 4: A Wet Reunion

Chapter 4:

"No," he stops her at the word, "I can't accept that. We're more than just friends. You loved me. I loved you—no, I love you, still. And I will for the rest of my life, Krystal."

"I'm sorry Fox… we tried. And we gave it a good shot. But it just didn't work out. It was wonderful. We were lucky to spend such a year together. But in the end… it was a mistake, the best mistake I'll ever make, but a mistake nonetheless."

"A mistake, that's what you call it? That whole year together was a mistake? After what we had? There's no going back from that. It happened like it was supposed to…

Of all the things that could've been waiting for me there on that planet, it was you. It was more than just a coincidence. It had to be. I need it to be."

"Okay Fox, yes, it may have been fate that we met there on Sauria. But afterwards, after we made a promise to be together, what about then?"

"Krystal, I intended on keeping our promise. Why did you leave me?" Fox's question indicated that he was oblivious to her feelings. 'The nerve,' she thought. She couldn't believe he said that. She was furious.

"W-what! Seriously, Fox? You're the one that left me! You broke _our_ promise! Star Fox was my life, my life with _you_. And you took that away from me! Fox, I had nothing else. I needed to find something to give me purpose." It finally hit him. That's right. He left her with nothing. How could he have been so inconsiderate of her feelings?

"But why Star Wolf? Why Panther?"

"Fox, I'm the pilot you made me. I was just using what I had, doing something I was good at. Panther was my way in. That's all. I'm not proud of it, but didn't have many options." Her eyes watered as she continues in anger, "…But I wouldn't have had to make that choice if you hadn't thrown me away like that!" she ended, waiting for a response. Fox growled at the last comment.

"I know I made a mistake and I paid for it. We both did," his eyes slowly well with tears. He's ready now. Ready to show her that he meant everything he'd said and that he wasn't going to make the same mistake again. It's in this moment that he proves it all; that everything is okay and that it had been all along... "But Krystal, I was going to give you _everything_. I was gonna give it up; all of THIS! So I could settle down with_ you_." Fox chokes through his frustration as he points at the ring on his dresser. Her heart started to pound when she saw what lay before her. Krystal recognized the object.

"Is that—," the blue fox starts to tear. On Cerinia, such trinkets had little significance. But during her time on Star Fox, she'd become familiar with the Cornerian tradition of marriage and the significance of an engagement ring. That ring… It was a symbol of the promise he had never broken; a symbol of _their _promise that he intended to keep. Krystal had been so wrong to jump to conclusions. She pulls him into a tight embrace while crying on his shoulder. It was her embrace that seemed to put the pieces of his heart back together. Fox continued softly.

"But I knew that was impossible once the war broke out. Why couldn't you see that I just wanted to keep you safe? All I ever think about is you. My mind's not that difficult to read," Fox whispers as familiar warmth returns to his voice. Unable to contain her emotions any longer, Krystal starts to cry as if her heart had burst open.

"Fox, I'm so sorry!" the blue vixen cries everything away: her frustrations, her anger, her sadness. Fox notices the dampness to his fur. He holds her tightly while gently rubbing her back. She cries into his chest for several minutes before composing herself.

"To tell you the truth," she says sniffing happily. "I stopped reading your mind a long time ago." Fox looks puzzled. He didn't understand why. "I couldn't handle it. It was just too much." More surprises. What had he done this time…?

"Wait! W-why? I didn't mean to—," he says, feeling like he'd done something wrong. Fox adored her completely. There couldn't have been anything he could think of that would disturb her… 'Well, she is a _hell of a vixen_, andthere were those times, you know… when you're _in the mood_ _you're_ _in the mood_.' There'd be times when he'd just want to pounce on her like a thunder cat.

"—No," Krystal laughed lightly between sobs. She read what he was getting at. "It's nothing like that. It's just… when I read your mind… it occurred to me, you give me more than I could ever give to you in return," Krystal smiles.

"I felt guilty. You made me so happy as I listened to your every thought. But then you wore this troubled look on your face. I thought that I'd been disappointing you and your expression was telling me, 'You will never do enough for the people you love.' The more I looked into it, the more insecure I felt. I couldn't handle it. I felt like I no longer deserved you. And I guess that guilt played a part in my decision to leave. I convinced myself that you were through with me. And I left, so you could get on with your life."

Fox was taken back. It made him happy that he could bring her such joy yet sad because she felt unable to return the favor. He couldn't stand for that. She needed to know.

"…get on with my life?" Fox repeats her words slowly. He cups her muzzle and brings her face to his as he whispered, "Krystal, _you_ are my life." Tears of joy gently stream down her blue coat. He follows through with a series of soft kisses. Fox surprises himself sometimes. 'Maybe there's a little Panther in me after all… but hopefully not,' he thinks.

"I know, and I've been such a fool not being able to realize that until now," Krystal said with a full heart. Her loneliness was a thing of the past.

Fox wonders if those two had gotten close… in _that _way. 'No, no. It's none of my business!' Fox slaps himself mentally for such thoughts. Whatever they did, he deserved it.

"Fox!" Krystal senses his jealousy.

"No-no-wait I'm sorry! I didn't mean to—I just… ugh. Sorry," he tries to explain himself.

"No, it's okay. I understand," replies the vixen as she prepares to indulge his curiosity. She would give him a piece of her mind until he understood. "Here's the thing: When you and the rest of Star Fox went off to war and left me behind, I felt ashamed. I felt like I wasn't good enough; that I'd been a burden the entire time. But no matter how deeply you hurt me…"

Fox sickens at the thought. He hated himself for hurting her like that. Fox listens as she continues.

"…I still wanted to be around you in any way I could, even if it was through Star Wolf… And… it was through an opponent's perspective that I realized: the only person I was watching and will _ever_ be watching… is you, Fox! About Panther, I didn't want to manipulate him like that, he was a nice guy, but I only used him to get on Star Wolf… and, well… it's a bit immature of me, but I wanted to make you jealous."

"Believe me. I was," Fox interrupts. 'What a relief.'

"He's tried making moves on me, a number of times. And when things looked like they'd go past the occasional kiss on the cheek, I'd just do what my instincts told me…" she smiles.

Fox smiles back. He knew what she meant by this. They'd already found their mates. Once a fox finds its mate, it rarely ever finds another. Foxes mate for life.

"So… in theory, if I died during some battle with the Anglars. What would you do then?" asks Fox.

"Well… I guess I'd… try and marry Slippy and live awkwardly ever after," they both laugh at her joke. "No, I guess… I'd wait until you came back to me in some other lifetime."

They feel a bit tired, but not quite ready for sleep. They look at each other slyly, knowing what to do with the last bit of their energy.

Fox and Krystal intend to keep their promise. Whatever life throws at them, they'll get through it together. It's true, Fox hurt Krystal but she knows that he'll spend the rest of his life making it up to her... starting with tonight.

*Furry sex omitted* (But he gives her one hell of a night. I'll leave it at that.)

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*** Aww yeah. That's right! You go, Fox! Go on, git 'er done!

did I get anyone with the whole wetness thing? hope ya'll were expecting something dirty! i would be. Read on!


	5. Chapter 5: Funny How things Work Out

K, so Hopeless-Tyronos encouraged me to continue the story. Thanks.

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Chapter 5: _It's funny how things work out._

Fox awakens to the sleeping vixen on his left. He stares at his mate. Her fur seems to glow as it contrasts with the white bed sheets. Fox loses himself in thought; he reflects upon last night's events. 'Finally. Don't mess this up, Fox.'

"I believe things will turn out just fine, whatever happens." Krystal replies to his thoughts with a grin. Her eyes open slowly and meet his gaze. The blue fox turns her attention to the ring on her left paw. She hugs it to her chest, cherishing the moment. It was perfect. Life was perfect.

It occurs to him that he forgot to pop the question last night. They'd been too busy doing 'other' things. Fox concludes that a formal marriage proposal isn't quite necessary since she's already seen the ring. Though, he plans on some grand gesture later. In case she forgot Lylat tradition…

"Oh, Krystal, by the way… um, I think you know this by now, but that's an engagement ring and we—I never really got around to the question but will you mar—"

"—Yes. Of course Fox. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Pleased by her response, the he positions himself above and kisses her deeply.

"You know… we have a couple hours before we reach Corneria," Fox says with a shit-eating grin. She knew what he wanted.

'You're so eager, Fox. I'd be happy to oblige,' the Cerinian thinks, 'but first…' She'd have her fun with him before they got started.

"Wonderful! That means I can take my time showering and getting dressed!"

"Or maybe—" Fox attempts to redirect her thoughts.

"—Oh that's right! First, I'll prepare breakfast for everyone!" And with that, Krystal slips from under him and heads towards the kitchen. Fox's ears lower in complete disappointment as she walks away. Darn. _And she's wearing such a lovely birthday suit._

Krystal stops at the door and looks back at him seductively. Seeing her expression, Fox perks up and crosses his fingers.

"_Fox…_" she calls him in a melodic tone. His eyes grow large at the sound of his name.

The vulpine grins with excitement. He loves it when Krystal says his name like that. It always leads to good things!

'Oh yeah, that's right. Come 'ere baby. _Trust your instincts!_' he thinks. Butterflies flutter about in his stomach. Fox trembles with anticipation while he waits for Krystal to continue. Her lips begin to move as she starts to say... *_This is it_!*

"_... would you like… __**pancakes, or waffles**__?"_

Fox nearly falls over and dies. He pictures a kit resembling a three-year old version of himself. He's playing with a red rubber ball. It slips out of his hands and rolls onto the street. The fox toddler chases the ball unaware of the cruiser flying in his direction. The last thing he sees is headlights. It's too late. The typical dramatic 'noooooooooo!' is drowned by the sound of the engine. Cruisers were large; no way would anyone notice that tiny critter. On the bright side, the ball rolls away safely. The proud driver of the large vehicle feels a tiny bump on the road. "Damn potholes..."

Fox feels like that poor toddler with the ball. _It's a cruel world out there._

"…. _waffles_." he sighs before burying his head in a pillow. Krystal nods. "Okay!" she says cheerfully and continues towards the kitchen. "Shucks, I have so much to give too!" he mumbles into the pillow.

He hears Krystal snickering. Fox looks up and sees his mate standing by the door with a grin, similar to the one he'd displayed earlier.

"Just kidding!" she says, before pouncing on him.

"I think we need to work on your sense of humor." Fox is relieved. '_You continue to surprise me._'

_About an hour later…_

The two foxes lay in bed. Krystal is panting heavily while Fox rests comfortably atop his fiancé, face buried in her bosoms.

"…that was fantastic, Mr. Fox." Krystal says with a giggle. "And just to be clear, I'm always in the mood." Her thumbs trace along the tip of his ears.

Before they could get too comfortable, they hear the ship's intercom as ROB64 announces, "We are approaching Corneria. Estimated time of arrival, 55 minutes."

Krystal feels Fox sigh into her fur. She pets his head for a moment before saying, "Fox, now might be a good time to get ready," Fox nods between her breasts. "… and since we both have to take a shower, why not join me?"

* * *

_In Corneria, later that day…_

The arrival on Corneria went smoothly. Team Star Fox flew through their itinerary. Falco left with Slippy to pick up some parts they ordered. They decided to give Fox some alone time with Krystal. The fox mates went on a lovely date at a gourmet restaurant Fox picked out of a directory. They felt a bit underdressed since the place was of the highest class. However, Fox McCloud and team Star Fox were famous throughout Lylat; they would be welcome in any attire. During the dinner, something caught Fox's attention through the restaurant window. It was a shadowy figure on the rooftop of a nearby building. The figure remained still the entire length of their meal.

Now, Fox and Krystal take a stroll through the city. Out the corner of his eye Fox notices the same figure along the rooftops above. This confirms his suspicions. They were definitely being followed.

"Krystal—"

"I know. You saw him back at the restaurant too, right?" Fox nods. They look back at the hooded figure above. It appears to be staring back at them. They hear its voice. It appears to be male.

"Target confirmed." Their pursuer had been an assassin, most likely intending to kill Fox McCloud. The fox couple gasps as the assassin leaps from the roof of the building, heading in their direction. Fox prepares himself for the attack.

As the assassin nears the end of his descent, Fox reaches for his gun. Nothing. He didn't have his gun on him for the first time in years. Of all times to come ill-prepared, it was during an assassination attempt that it had to happen.

However, he has a knife. It's hidden in its sheath strapped horizontally to the back of his belt. Fox slightly guards Krystal pushing her back slightly with his left arm.

In one swift motion, Fox reaches for the knife, pulls it from its holder, and drives it across his chest, making contact with the base of the assassin's sword.

_A successful block._ 'I still have it,' Fox notes as he prepares for his opponent's next move.

'Krystal, I might need a little room for this one, okay?' the vulpine thinks of her safety above all else. He smiles at her and gives her paw a gentle squeeze. _It will be okay._ His blue-furred companion steps back. She senses his confidence and distances herself from the battle.

The Star Fox commander reacts as if the attack had been rehearsed. His fighting experience over the years had prepared him well. From intense and technical training, Fox developed unrivaled skill that would ensure his survival in close-quarters combat. His instincts take over.

_The knife is both a weapon and a shield._

Fox parries the assassin's blade downwards with his knife pushing the assailant off balance and gives him a hard right kick to the jaw, knocking the attacker flat on his back.

_When fighting with knives, as long as you can block the enemy's weapon, you will win._

The assailant recovers with a backwards somersault and charges forward with a barrage of diagonal slashes. The attacker is much faster than a normal person, almost unnaturally fast. But not fast enough to best Fox. The vulpine dodges his opponent's attacks with little trouble. With the blink of an eye the targeted vulpine disappears leaving a confused attacker. Where did he go? He just vanished.

The assassin senses his target as he appears behind in a crouched position. Fox springs from the ground with his hands, launching himself upwards feet first, and throws his whole body into a massive kick towards the attacker's head. The assassin ducks down and avoids the kick. He sees three threads of his hair fall towards the ground, as if they'd been cut with a blade. He avoided the attack just in time to avoid a blow that would most certainly end the fight. However, before the assassin could regain composure, his target escapes from his sight. He's lost all control over the situation.

The vulpine appears from behind and brings his knife to his attacker's neck. "Drop it." The assailant releases his weapon. The blade falls to the ground and Fox kicks it aside.

"Krystal, you can come out now." His mate steps out from the alley. She's thoroughly impressed with the way he handled the situation.

"Okay… well, this is pretty cliché, but _who sent you?"  
_

_

* * *

_

***AUTHORS NOTE

Definitely rushed through this one.

And okay, so I lied. I'm not done with this fic. There's more to come, much more. First attempt at action dialogue. I know it needs improvement, but I have to keep it consistent with this shitty present tense writing I started! Review! Don't B afraid to h8!

O yeah, um what are your favorite aminals? Preferably badass ones.


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